England’s Lionesses Celebrated on the NEW Pride of England UK £5 

2023 sees the return of one of the most captivating and empowering sporting events in the world. And to celebrate England’s incredible team of Lionesses, The Royal Mint have struck a brand new UK £5 coin.

2023 Pride of England £5
2023 Pride of England £5

The Lionesses’ journey so far

Since their first international match in 1972, the England women’s football team has gone from strength to strength.  

The rising popularity of women’s football reached new heights in 2022 when England became European Champions. The dynamic squad, including the likes of Beth Mead, Fran Kirby and Ella Toone, took home the trophy after their unforgettable win against Germany.  

2022 Women's Euro 2022 winners
2022 Women’s Euro 2022 winners
Credit: BBC News

This year, the Lionesses embark on their biggest competition to date, and to commemorate the event, the Pride of England £5 has been struck. 

Three lions on the coin…

The 2023 UK Pride of England £5 proudly celebrates the team and their successes with a design by sculptor Norman Sillman. Three emblematic lions can be seen on the reverse design, representing the nation’s heraldic history. 

2023 Pride of England £5
2023 Pride of England £5

The design may look familiar, and that’s because these heraldic lions also appeared on UK £1 coins in 1997. In fact, they date back to Richard the Lionheart who used three golden lions on a scarlet background as a powerful symbol of the English throne.  

A must have for football fans

Demand for this coin is sure to be huge, as it not only appeals to coin collectors, but will also be highly sought after by British sport enthusiasts and football fans. The 2023 UK Pride of England £5 is the perfect keepsake for those who appreciate the rich history and cultural impact of women’s football.   

A history of football coins

2022 UK FA Cup £2

The FA Cup £2 was issued to mark 150 years of the FA Cup. The reverse design by Matt Dent and Christian Davies featured the famed FA Cup trophy, representing one of the greatest football knockout tournaments in the world.

This coin proved incredibly popular with collectors, with the limited edition specifications selling out at The Royal Mint within just hours of release. 

2022 FA Cup £2
2022 FA Cup £2

2011 Olympic Football 50p

2011 Olympic Football 50p
2011 Olympic Football 50p

Released as part of the Royal Mint’s 2012 Olympic 50p series, this coin was dedicated to football.

It was possibly the most publicised Olympic 50p, as it features the hotly debated offside rule in the form of a simple diagram. Designer Neil Wolfson chose the image to represent the sport and provoke discussion.  

Secure your 2023 UK Pride of England Certified BU £5

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How will King Charles’ Coronation differ from Queen Elizabeth’s?

It’s been nearly 70 years since the last UK coronation, when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on 2nd June 1953. Since then, a lot has changed, especially King Charles III’s approach to his coronation on 6th May 2023.

Let’s take a look at some of the key differences between these two historical events.

The ceremony and celebrations

The late Queen’s coronation was a grandiose affair involving a 4 hour long ceremony at Westminster Abbey, attended by 8,250 guests. The ceremony was followed by a 5 mile journey around London in the Golden State Carriage. The ceremony is thought to have cost around £1.57 million.

Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation at Westminster Abbey
Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey
Credit: The Royal Family

Compared to the uplifting celebrations in 1953, the King’s coronation has been billed as a ‘solemn religious’ event out of respect for his late mother’s passing. It’s expected to be a reflection of the monarch’s modern role in society, whilst still being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.

The ceremony itself will be just 60 minutes long and His Majesty is expected to take a significantly shorter procession in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. The guestlist has been drastically reduced to just 2,000 guests.

Diamond Jubilee State Coach
Diamond Jubilee State Coach
Credit: BBC

In keeping with tradition, King Charles will be crowned with St Edward’s Crown during the coronation ceremony. The St Edward’s crown can be seen on the reverse design of the UK Coronation £5 coin.

Interestingly, the King is also depicted wearing a crown for the first time ever on the collector versions of the UK Coronation coin range.

UK Coronation £5 and 50p
UK Coronation £5 and 50p

Dress code

In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II – then just 26 years old – wore a white silk dress designed by Norman Hartnell. The dress was embroidered with floral emblems, each representing countries of the Commonwealth at the time.

Additionally, she wore an accompanying crimson velvet 6.5 metre Robe of Estate, which was ornately decorated with gold lace.

Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation dress and robe
Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation dress and robe
Credit: BBC

The King will introduce a more relaxed dress code, reflecting a more modern Britain. He may even choose to wear his military uniform.

The same traditional coronation regalia will be used during the ceremony. Some of these items can be seen within the design of the UK Coronation £5 design, such as the St Edward’s Crown and the sovereign’s sceptre with dove and and cross.

UK Coronation £5 reverse and obverse
UK Coronation £5 reverse and obverse

70 years on…

The 1953 coronation was the first to be televised, and for many it would have been the first big event they’d watched on television. His Majesty’s coronation will be widely televised and there is sure to be extensive coverage of the ceremony across the internet and social media.

A special emoji has even been created to mark the event. A cartoon depiction of the St Edward’s Crown with a purple velvet cap will appear automatically on social media platforms when someone uses a hashtag relevant to the coronation.  

Official Coronation Emoji
Official Coronation Emoji
Credit: BBC

Tag us and use these hashtags in your coronation posts to see the crown emoji in action!

#Coronation, #CoronationConcert, #CoronationWeekend and #CoronationBigLunch

Change Checker’s Coronation Activity Pack!

We’re kicking off our Coronation weekend celebrations with some free-to-download activity sheets.

From Coronation bingo, which you can play on the big day, to some colouring sheets for the downtime in between events – we’ve got your party plans covered!

Download your kit below:

Add the UK King Charles Coronation Coins to your collection

UK’s FIRST Coronation 50p – JUST RELEASED! 

The UK’s FIRST Coronation 50p and £5 coin have JUST been released!

In this blog, I’ll share all you need to know about these new coins, including how they could become the most sought-after issues EVER.

2023 UK Coronation 50p

The most significant royal event of our generation has been celebrated with a UK 50p coin, struck by The Royal Mint to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III.

This is the UK’s FIRST coronation 50p – Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 was marked with a Crown coin.

The design features the royal cypher set against Westminster Abbey, where the King will be crowned.

But, what makes this coin particularly special is a feature you eagle eyed collectors will be sure to spot.

Simply take a look on the obverse of this 50p and you’ll notice it differs from other King Charles III coins…

That’s because The Royal Mint have created a collector version of the coin with an unusual twist – showing a crowned effigy of the King!

King Charles III crowned and uncrowned coinage portraits. Left shows the collector-only issue of the King Charles III obverse and right shows the traditional uncrowned portrait which can be seen on existing King Charles coinage.
2023 Coronation 50p – two varying obverse designs showing His Majesty crowned and uncrowned.

Whilst we’ve all grown familiar with seeing a crowned portrait of Queen Elizabeth on our coins, traditionally male monarchs do not wear crowns on UK coinage – which is why the standard King Charles coins show him uncrowned.

However, breaking from tradition to commemorate this remarkable royal event, the new King Charles III Coronation 50p shows His Majesty wearing the Tudor Crown.

This special obverse design is only available in collector quality and can’t be found in your change – making for a unique addition to any collection.

What’s more, the first 50,000 will be available in LIMITED EDITION Change Checker Coronation Cards featuring a gold edge to mark the event.

Don’t miss the chance to own yours for just £5.99 (+p&p) here >>

Is the UK’s FIRST Coronation 50p the most sought-after coin EVER?

Collecting firsts are key for driving up demand – just think back to the worldwide popularity of the UK’s first royal 50p, the Platinum Jubilee 50p.

Within the first 24 hours of release, all limited edition presentations of the Platinum Jubilee 50p completely SOLD OUT.

In fact, even the Brilliant Uncirculated quality presentations of the Platinum Jubilee 50p and £5 coins are still selling for £26 on secondary market sites.

2022 Platinum Jubilee 50p and £5 selling for £26 on eBay. Could the UK's FIRST Coronation 50p rival its demand?
Platinum Jubilee 50p and £5 coin sold for £26 on eBay in March 2023.

AND, the circulating version of the Platinum Jubilee 50p recently sold for £20 on eBay.

UK's FIRST Coronation 50p set to rival demand for 2022 Platinum Jubilee 50p which is currently fetching around £20 on eBay.
Platinum Jubilee 50p sold for £20 on eBay.

So, considering this is the UK’s FIRST coronation 50p, as well as the addition of a unique obverse design, this new coin has all the hallmarks of a classic story.

Coronation celebrated on UK’s flagship royal coin

Alongside the 50p coin, The Royal Mint has also issued a brand new UK £5 – the flagship royal coin.

The reverse design by Timothy Noad features a depiction of St. Edward’s Crown, accompanied by the sovereign’s sceptre with dove and the sovereign’s sceptre with cross with the inscription “THE CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III 6 MAY 2023”.

The obverse also features the special crowned portrait of His Majesty, created especially for the Coronation Coin Range.

This brand new £5 coin is the perfect pairing to the UK’s first coronation 50p. Get your hands on it in Brilliant Uncirculated quality >>

Don’t miss out on owning the 2023 Coronation coins

Avoid disappointment by adding the 2023 UK Coronation 50p and £5 coins to your collection today.

Don’t forget, the first 50,000 collectors will receive the Brilliant Uncirculated 50p in LIMITED EDITION Change Checker Coronation Cards featuring a gold edge.

Click here to get yours >>